I’ve been a computer geek now since the very beginning, (30+ years)and have been online from the very start when many of today’s technologies were nothing more than a pipe dream. Needless to say after countless years, I have seen a great many changes and improvements with regards to the advancement of new technologies. Although personally I never previously owned a Mac, I figured it was high time for me to try out the “supposed upgrade” as touted in computer technology.

With the purchase of my first Mac Book Pro, my initial response was one of satisfaction and utter excitement. I loved the quiet new look and was sold mostly by the incredible built in HD cam, which seemed superior to most other laptops that I had looked at. Having spent what some may believe to be a small fortune, (although I did manage to save a few dollars by opting out of the set up fee), to my delight I had had my new 13” Mac Book Pro up and running in no time at all.

With my prior experience in testing and running Linux software on a number of various computer systems, (perhaps a slight advantage), I quickly came to love my new Mac. From the ease in which the initial setup was completed, to the installation of multiple apps, the whole experience had left me overly impressed with my very first Mac. I was also greatly impressed by the apps that came bundled with the initial setup. Considered to be essential if not premium apps, I Photo, Pages, Keynote, Garage Band, and Virtual DJ to name a few, complemented the OS X nicely. All of which could easily be backed up to the cloud with the use of your Apple ID.

But wait… something was missing! Having over the years grown so dependent and accustomed to using Windows and Microsoft products, I quickly realized that indeed there is a difference between the two operating systems. The everyday software that I had used so frequently and had grown to love would not run on my Mac. Least not without a more intricate and complicated setup, which in the end would only degrade the performance of my Mac. Hence with few limited options, (Bootcamp, Virtual Machine or Wine), I chose to use Bootcamp and install Windows on my Mac. This option did require me to purchase the latest copy of Windows 8.1 however.

After an initial failed attempt, (caused by my not being too familiar with disk partitioning on a Mac), I did manage to fully install Windows alongside my OS X without any further problems and was once again overjoyed with my accomplishment. Now I had the best of both worlds, or so it seemed for a while. I was soon to find out that installing windows on a Mac doesn’t entitle you to the same benefits as if it were installed on a Windows machine. Sure I could now run all my old programs, however I did notice something amiss. While installing Windows, Bootcamp also installed its “Mac version” of drivers required to run and display Windows on a Mac, causing some overall performance issues. Most notably with the display driver lacking any true potential.

At this point, not one to sacrifice my new laptops performance or potential, I opted to give up on some of my old programs and do complete factories restore on my Mac. Having forgotten my Apple ID and having misplaced my recovery key left me at a somewhat disadvantage. Being unable to now retrieve my premium apps from the cloud in itself made me furious. Apparently, after a long frustrating call, even Apple Tech Support was unable to retrieve my info, (which still baffles me), prompting me to set up a new Apple ID. Once I had restored my Mac to it’s factory settings, minus the premium apps that came with it at time of purchase and that I was unable to retrieve from Apple, (I figure this is some kind of scam requiring you to repurchase the apps), I decided to try the update to the next OS X Yosemite.

The update itself went off without a hitch, however at the initial start-up of OS X Yosemite I was immediately dismayed by the overall look of this OS update. The over all appearance reminiscent of my childhood days… plain and simple! Considering the source, and the monies spent to purchase an Apple in the first place, I found it very disappointing and perhaps a step back. However looks aside, I did find the OS in itself to be completely responsive in some area’s, while lagging, and in some instances, coming to a complete stop in others. Thus prompting me once again to return to happier times, and yet another factory reset.

Disheartened after days of configuring, updating, and valuable lost time, I’m happy and content that life is back to normal for my new Mac. Returning finally to its former glory, coupled with the latest Microsoft Office Suite plus a choice few exemplary apps.

The moral of this story… Sometimes it’s best to stick with the original package! An upgrade does not always guarantee a better package and may not be in your best interest!

An Apple can and may have worms!